cooke



UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

MILLER H. COOKE, OF WILKES-BARR, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CLARA C. COOKE, OF SAMEPLACE.

cAR-c'oUPLlNe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,860, dated February 26,1895. Application filed October 24, 1894. Serial No. 526,360. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, MILLER-H. COOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at WilkesfBarr, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car-couplers of the Janney or twin-jaw type, and it has for its object to produce a coupler of this style of simple construction, and one which will be reliable in all of its operations, coupling whether the cars are brought together quickly and with great force or with a slow and light impact, and which may be easily released or uncoupled and one in which the pin promptly returns to place so as to be ready to again couple when necessary.

With these objects in view, the invention consists of a coupler the parts and combinations of parts of which will be hereinafter set forth.

I have in the accompanying drawings illustrated two forms of my invention, but I do not wish to be limited in all respects to the exact details there shown, as it will be apparent that my invention may be embodied in forms of couplers differing in various respects from those illustrated in the drawings.

In the said drawings: Figure 1 is a front View of a coupler embodying my invention, the knuckle being left off. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking pin detached. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a form of my invention, different from that shown in the other figures.

The coupler to which I have shown my invention applied, is shown as conforming in its construction lines to the style of couplers Y adopted by the master car builders of this country, and my invention is especially adapted to couplers of this style and construction although applicable to other formsof couplers. p

1 Referring to the drawings, 2 designatesthe main or body portion of the draw-head, 3, the guard arm thereof, and 4, the opposing arm to which is pivoted the knuckle 5. The knuckle is of the usual form and is provided with an arm, 7, which swings into a recess or chamber, 8, in the draw-head and is engaged by the locking-pin, 9, to hold the knuckle in coupling position. This locking-pin, as is usual, liesin the path of the arm, 7, as it swings into the chamber, 8, in the draw-head, and it is provided with the cam surface 10, by engaging with which the arm, '7, moves the locking-pin out of its path untilit has fully entered the chamber, when the pin falls into position to lock the knuckle closed or in coupled position. Heretofore these lockingpins have been usually arranged to slide vertically, being raised as the arm of the knuckle enters the cavity in the draw-head and falling as soon as such arm passes completely into the same; but I have found objection incident to this arrangement, and to overcome them I so mount the locking pin inthe drawhead that it swings backward out of the path of the arm of the knuckle as it enters the draw-head, and falls forward again into locking position, as soon as it has passed by the locking-pin.

l1 is a recess formed in the draw-head in rear of the chamber, 8, in which is mounted and in which swings the locking-pin, 9; and 2 is a pivot pin mounted in the lugs, 13, at the top of the draw-head upon which thelocking-pin is mounted.

14 is a pocket constituting a portion of the recess 11, and situated below the level of the floor of the chamber, 8, into which pocket the lower end of the locking-pin enters when it .swings forward into position to engage with and to hold the knuckle. This pocketis shaped to fit quite closely the lower portion of the locking-pin so that when thelatter is therein, it is firmly held. Y

15 represents'links connected with the locking-pin near its rear edge and below its pivot, and connecting it with the pin-operating mechanism, 16, shown in this instance as being a cranked rod. This operating mechanism may be of any usual or preferred construction, extending either to the side or to the top of the car, and by means of it and the IOO connection between it and the pin, the latter can be rocked upon its pivot so as to uncouple or release the knuckle whenever it is desired.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and which for some reasons is the preferred construction, the locking-pin is shown as being provided near its upper end with aslot, 17, through which passes the pivotpin, 12. The front edge, 18, ot the lockingpin is preferably straight and the rear edge 19 near the upper end of the link is preferably parallel with the slot, 17 and the front edge, 18. The rear edge of the locking pin is recessed, or inclined inward or toward the front, between its ends, as at 20; and a pin, 21, extending through lugs, 13, in the draw-head, is arranged in rear of the locking pin and opcrates to direct its movements. This pin cooperates wlth the pin, 12, or with the wall of the draw-head against which the front face 18, thereof moves, to canse the pin to rst rise straight out of the pocket, 14, when the link is lifted. As soon as it has been lifted far enough to cause the lower end to leave the pocket, 14, and at the same time to bring the recessed portion, 20, of the rear edge, opposite to the pin, 21, it tips or rocks into the recess 11, assuming the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 where it is out of the way of the arm, 7, of the knuckle, permitting the latter to enter or to pass out of the chamber 8. With this description, it will be seen that the locking-pin has first a sliding` movement in the direction of its length that it may be withdrawn from the pocket, 14, and then a rocking movement to allow it to be thrown back out of the way of the knuckle. The locking-pin follows these movements whether it is moved by the operating mechanism, 16, or by reason of the arm, 7, of the knuckle coming into engagement with its cam face, 10.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 5, the pivot-pin, 5, passes through a circular opening in the upper end of the locking-pin, which latter is arranged to have only a rocking or swinging movement upon its piu. In this form of the invention it is necessary that the pocket, 14, in which the lower end of the locking-pin drops should have such connection with the recess, 11, as to'permit the pin "to be swung directly out of the pocket into the rear part of the recess without having first to be lifted in order to clear the said pocket. In this form of my invention, lit is also preferable to have the front wall, 22, of the recess, backward inclined toward its lower end, so that when the locking-pin assumes its lowermost or locking position,it is not quite vertically disposed, but rests against the wall, 22, where it is held by gravity.

The form of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 is that preferred on roads where there are steep grades and the road construction is not the best, thus subjecting the car to severe jolting and jarring. By reason of the pocket, 14, being below the floors of both the chamber, 8, and the recess, 11, it is practically impossi-blefor the. locking-` pin to be jarred, or accidentally moved out ofv locking position, and thus prevent accidental nncoupling of the cars.

My invention, as will be seen, is simple in construction and the parts are so combined and disposed that there is little wear upon any of the moving parts, thus insuring an additional length of life to the coupling and maintaining for a great length of time, that accuracy of movement which is desirable in order to eect the automatic coupling of the cars, under all circumstances when one of the knuckles is thrown open.

It will be apparent that the pin which I have described, particularly that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, might be applied to drawheads constructed to be used in combination with the ordinary link coupling; or that a draw-head built upon the general lines illustrated in the drawings, might be so chambered out as to not only accommodate the knuckle of a .Ianney or twin-jaw coupler, but also to receive a coupling link. By so constructing and mounting the pin that it first rises or moves in the direction of its length and then swings upon a pivot, it is possible to use a free swinging coupling pin with a coupling link, as the pin may be raised from outof the opening of the link before it is swung into or out of coupling position. It will also be apparent that should the pin, 12, which is shown as being used in connection with the slotted pin, become lost, or for other reasons be not used, nevertheless the device would be operative, since the pin, 21, co-operating with the walls of the draw-head, would insure that the pin should first rise out of the pocket, 14, and then slip back out of the way of the arln of the knuckle. I do not, therefore, wish that my invention should be limited to a locking pin which is positively connected with the draw-head bya pivot pin passing through it, because, as just stated, some of the advantages incident to my pin are retained,should such pivot pin be not employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a draw head provided with a chamber, 8, a recess, 11, in rear of and communicating with the saidv chamber, the recess being formed with a pocket which is below the level of the oor of the chamber, 8, a pivoted knuckle having an arm adapted to swing into the said chamber, 8, and a l0ck ing pin supported in the said recess in the draw head, the said locking pin lying normally in the path of the arm of the knuckle with its lower end seated in the said pocket, but being arranged to swing backward into the recess and out of the path of the knuckle as the same enters or leaves the chamber, 8, substantially as set forth.

2. y In a car coupler, the combination with a draw-head, and the pivoted knuckle provided with an arm, 7, of a locking pin for the knuckle,

IOO

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` supported in the draw-head and provided with a cam face, 10, with which the arm of the knuckle engages as it swings into the drawhead, and means for guiding and directing the movements of the said locking pin, arranged as described, whereby when the coupling and uncoupling operations are performed the pin is Vfirst moved in the direction of its length and is then rocked or swung backward out of the way of the arm of the knuckle, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw-head provided with a chamber, 8, and a recess, 11, having a pocket below the level of the ioor of the chamber, a knuckle pivoted in the said draw-head and provided with an arm 7, a locking pin supported in the drawhead, and provided with a cam face, 10, with which the arm of the knuckle engages as it enters the draw-head, the upper portion of the said pin being arranged between guiding surfaces, and the lower portion being arranged to rest in the said pocket when in its locking position, whereby the pin may be moved in the direction of its length to disengage the said pocket and then be swung backward out of the path of the arm of the knuckle, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a drawhead and a knuckle pivoted thereto, the locking pin mounted in the draw-head and a pin, 21, adjacent to the rear edge of the locking pin, the rear edge of the locking pin being formed,as shown, with a straight portion, 19, and a recessed portion, 20, whereby the locking pin is caused first to move in the direction of its length, and is then permitted to rock backward, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination of a draw-head provided with a chamber, 8, and the recess, 11, in rear thereof formed with a pocket, 14, a knuckle pivoted to the draw-head, alockingpin mounted in the said recess, l1, and pivoted in the upper portion of the draw-head,the said locking-pin being slotted for the passage of its pivot-pin near its upper end, and having its rear edge formed with the vertical part, 19, and the recessed or curved part, 20, the guidin g-pin, 21, arranged adjacent to the edges, 19 and 20, of the locking-pin, and the operating mechanism for moving the locking-pin out of the path of the arm of the knuckle, and rearward into the recess, 11, substantially as set forth.

6. The combinationwith a draw-head, of a coupling pin mounted in a recess therein, the rear edge of the coupling pin being recessed or curved inward as at 20, a guide pin, 21, arranged adjacent to the rear edge of lthe coupling pin, and means for lifting the coupling pin connected therewith near its rear edge, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILLER H. COOKE.

Witnesses:

THos. S. HoPKINs J. S. BARKER. 

